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Number of pumps/feeds per 24 hrs to maintain supply?

can't remember, but i thought you needed at least 6 breast stimulations [pumping or nursing or both] in a 24 hr time frame, to keep up supply, and that was minimum, correct?

Reason I ask, is b/c DD nurses only about 5 times per day most days. She is 4 months old tomorrow. and then I work every weekend [night shift], and I have to sleep during the day, which means I pump at work overnight. I try to aim to get at least 6 outputs per 24 hrs...

...for ex: DD nurses on friday at 630-7am, then I sleep until about 11am, pump or feed her, then nurse her again around 1-2pm, 4-5pm, and pump before work around 6pm, pump at 11pm and around 2-3 am....

......then I come home and pump before I go to bed around 8am...sleep until 3pm, pump and then [sometimes nurse her around 5pm], pump again around 6pm[before work] and then again at 11pm and 2-3am....

...so what i am getting at is, does it matter how LONG your breast go between sessions OR how many sessions you have per 24 hrs that matters the most for supply? I thought it was how many times. vs. how long. but can't remember.

Thinking that since ive been back to work for a month now my supply is on the lower end now plus baby is 4 months tomorrow so supply prob adjusted much to her needs too...and...ive been having breakthrough bleeding so maybe my AF is on the way...and shes starting to teethe...yay...lol....

.....and...my mom is giving her 4 oz bottles all day saturday while I have to sleep. I pump enough when im away from her that is not the issue.

..the issue is now that shes getting fussy/angry at the breast in the later afternoon when my supply is at its lowest of the day.

Re: Number of pumps/feeds per 24 hrs to maintain supply?

Originally Posted by @llli*jhowell

Reason I ask, is b/c DD nurses only about 5 times per day most days. She is 4 months old tomorrow.

That's on the extreme low end for a 4 month-old baby. Maybe I'm being dim- is she getting bottles in addition to those 5 nursing sessions? Like, in a 24 hour period when you're not working, how many bottles, and how many nursing sessions?

...so what i am getting at is, does it matter how LONG your breast go between sessions OR how many sessions you have per 24 hrs that matters the most for supply? I thought it was how many times. vs. how long. but can't remember.

The answer to this question varies from woman to woman. Some women can get what they need by picking longer sessions over more frequent ones, but most moms probably do better when choosing more frequent sessions over longer ones.

..the issue is now that shes getting fussy/angry at the breast in the later afternoon when my supply is at its lowest of the day.

suggestions?

Try adding in some pumping sessions during that late afternoon period. That will help keep your supply high for those times when you're with your baby, and may cut down on the fussiness.

Re: Number of pumps/feeds per 24 hrs to maintain supply?

Hi jhowell, if I remember correctly, you used to pump before bed even on your non-working days, but then cut that out because you were accumulating too much frozen milk. Would you be open to going back to that bedtime pumping session? Especially since your LO is going such a long stretch at night, I think it would really help to add that session back in. I agree with mommal that your number of pumping/nursing sessions is on the low end - actually reading through the details you posted on some days it's as low as 5, on other days 6. Usually 8 is a minimum number, with many 4 month-old babies doing 10-12/24 hours.

Re: Number of pumps/feeds per 24 hrs to maintain supply?

Originally Posted by @llli*bfwmomof3

Hi jhowell, if I remember correctly, you used to pump before bed even on your non-working days, but then cut that out because you were accumulating too much frozen milk. Would you be open to going back to that bedtime pumping session? Especially since your LO is going such a long stretch at night, I think it would really help to add that session back in. I agree with mommal that your number of pumping/nursing sessions is on the low end - actually reading through the details you posted on some days it's as low as 5, on other days 6. Usually 8 is a minimum number, with many 4 month-old babies doing 10-12/24 hours.

Yes you are correct and I stopped about a month ago. Since this started yesterday I immediately started pumping again around 9pm and plan to continue to do that for a while now.

To the PP, no, she doesnt get any bottles when she is with me and nursing just 5-6 times per day. In a 24 hr period when she is with my mom on the weekend...

she took a 4 oz bottle at 630am sat...at 8am, at 1030am, 115pm, then nursed with me at 4pm, then nursed again at 530pm...only took 2 ounces at 7-730pm for my DH...that was saturday night.

she has plenty of wet diapers so I dont quite get how she isnt getting enough? and what do I do in the mean time if she continues to not nurse? I am pumping every time i would normally feed her and she isnt feeding. but, in the mean time, not giving her a bottle either. i dont know what to do.? I have to work on friday night and saturday night so she will be getting bottles all weekend...i dont have a choice. I definately dont want to become an exculsiver pumper. my son nursed for 13 months no problems like this ever...BUT....I went back to work when he was 6 months now 3 months :/

Re: Number of pumps/feeds per 24 hrs to maintain supply?

From your other thread it sounds like she's only refusing the 5 pm nursing? Or is it now more often in the day? I guess I'm thinking that a possibility is that your supply has taken a bit of a hit from the low number of nursing/pumping sessions, leading to the late-in-the-day fussiness at the breast that you describe in your other post. If that's the case, you're doing the right thing by trying to up your supply.

Re: Number of pumps/feeds per 24 hrs to maintain supply?

Originally Posted by @llli*bfwmomof3

From your other thread it sounds like she's only refusing the 5 pm nursing? Or is it now more often in the day? I guess I'm thinking that a possibility is that your supply has taken a bit of a hit from the low number of nursing/pumping sessions, leading to the late-in-the-day fussiness at the breast that you describe in your other post. If that's the case, you're doing the right thing by trying to up your supply.

well on sunday it was the 5pm feeding and yesterday 5pm...now today she also refused at 1030am and noon...and i KNOW my milk is there..I pumped 4.5 ounces at 1030 when she refused to nurse..and prior to that she fed at 815am...

i dont want to give her a bottle while im with her..>i want her to breastfeed....i do NOT want to have to become an exculsiver pumper

Re: Number of pumps/feeds per 24 hrs to maintain supply?

Okay, so it sounds like you're now dealing with a breast refusal issue, that perhaps (or perhaps not) got started by a low evening supply in the past couple days.
Have you checked out the kelly mom info on this? Here's the link: http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/back-to-breast/
And, take a deep breath - you'll be able to work through this - and if baby senses your stress I think it's just going to make things harder for you...

Re: Number of pumps/feeds per 24 hrs to maintain supply?

Originally Posted by @llli*bfwmomof3

Okay, so it sounds like you're now dealing with a breast refusal issue, that perhaps (or perhaps not) got started by a low evening supply in the past couple days.
Have you checked out the kelly mom info on this? Here's the link: http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/back-to-breast/
And, take a deep breath - you'll be able to work through this - and if baby senses your stress I think it's just going to make things harder for you...

yes i have read everything and anything i can. i am so worried...

i do not want to have to give her bottles when she is with me...she gets enough of them with my mom on the weekend when i work. i dont want to have to become an exculsive pumper.

ive read kellymom and everything i can..but im getting nervous b/c shes not eating enough from me #1) and #2) i have to work this weekend [fri and sat] and she will be getting bottles again and im afraid b/c we are in a *rut* she wont want to go back to nursing.... ......this was my worst fear of going back to work

i nursed my son for 13 months and he NEVER did this...but i also stayed home with him until he was 6 months old.